High Heels and Training Wheels: April 2013

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4.30.2013

A New Normal

I don't have a lot of words to leave you with today, mostly just some pictures. I've just recently lost my grandma and I'm feeling less than inspired. This is my first blog post since she passed away. My world is forever changed and I'm trying to learn how to live life without her. For 9 months, I have been taking care of her. I've been caring for her for so long that I've forgotten how to go about my days without being consumed in her care. I'm trying to find a new normal. I've been leaving you with pre-written blog tutorials that I had written a while back but I'm trying to take baby steps to posting again. There may be more gaps in posting but please don't give up on me. I'm trying to making my way back. I believe that's what any loved one would want, I know that's what my grandma would want.

{Bloggerific Tutes Tuesday} Using an Image Map

Hey guys! Back with another bloggy tutorial! Today is using an image map. Only the greatest thing ever. If you use a custom image for your header or your page tabs, this information is invaluable. Swear. 

4.25.2013

{Bloggerific Tutes Tuesday} Centering Your Blog

So centering your blog might not be something you've ever thought about. To you, your blog IS centered. But, did you know that to others with different screen resolutions, your blog could be quite difficult to see? 

4.24.2013

Warby Parker: Nerdy Chic

Helllooo lovelies! I am so excited; I have my first review for you today! Well, it's a review but it's also 'What I Wore' cause I've been sportin' these babies everywhere! It's a  brand that I immediately fell in love with. I had no idea what or who Warby Parker was until I recently got an email asking me to check them out and they are awesome! I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience with Warby Parker.
Here's a little bit about Warby
"We offer designer glasses at a revolutionary price, and for every pair sold, we distribute a pair to a person in need. Our frame designs are inspired by everything from mid-century detective films to beat poetry, and have been featured in publications like New York and GQ. The Home Try-On Program allows customers to pick out five pairs of eyeglasses or sunglasses and test them out for five days in the comfort of their home—absolutely free."

So for every pair you buy, someone in need gets a free pair! How awesome is that? If you're going to buy glasses anyway, it's pretty cool that you can help someone in need at the same time. And what's the best part? You can choose 5 pairs of glasses online at Warby Parker to try on at home! For free! And when they say free, they mean free! They even include the prepaid return label so returning the sample is super easy and cost free. You have nothing to lose!

Here's how it works, I go online, browse all of their awesome frames and add my choices to the "ADD TO HOME TRY-ON". I then head to the checkout, enter all of my information and that's it! I ordered my glasses and within 2 days they were at my door. 2 days! I was so excited when they arrived. They came packaged in this sleek, little, black box
I ordered 3 pairs of optical glasses and 2 pairs of sunglasses


Evelyn in Whiskey Tortoise




Boyd in Marbled Charcoal





Percy in Striped Sassafras




Benson in Greystone



Beckett in revolver Black Matte
The 'Percy' and 'Evelyn' were my favorite on me. I really like the 'Benson' and 'Beckett' but they just were not good for my face shape. My sister though....
She was rocking them! She's already placing her order! 
Let's recap. You get great quality frames, for a great low price that you get to try on in-home first and  you help a person in need! Can't get much better than that! What are you waiting for? Pop on over to www.warbyparker.com to try out some free frames!
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4.23.2013

Good News Comes in Threes..

I've got good news!! Could ya guess?

*#1 and the most exciting (for me): I reached 100 followers via Bloglovin' this weekend!! Ahh!! Know who my 100th follower was? My husband! (insert aww here) He was already a follower but now he's officially the '100th customer'!

*#2 I finally got my "linkups" page fixed! Up there in the top tabs; go ahead and check it out! You can now visit the each of lovely ladies who host these wonderful linkups/blog hops each week! Pop on over and join one, they're oodles of fun! Met some my best blogger pals through linky parties!

*And #3 (drum roll please) I have my first review coming up soon! When I got the email for this I was stoked! And I am so super duper excited to share it with you! Whoo!



Today though, I have an OOTD and a humongous haul. Guys, I went shop.ping. this weekend. Like, shoooopping. And if you know me, you know I got amaze deals on everything.


So here's my 'Posh Park' OOTD...actually, it's not posh at all, it just rhymed. More like 'Park Casual'. Are my outfits anything but casual??



4.21.2013

{Bloggerific Tutes Tuesday} Give Your Font Some Bling

Hey, guys! Earlier this week when I mentioned my new blog design,  I had quite a few people ask me how I did certain things. Adding glitter pattern to fonts was heavily requested; I guess the new design is a hit! So today kicks off a new tutorial series: Bloggerific Tutes. I'm going to (try) to post a new tutorial each week on blog design and Photoshop. I know first hand how hard it is to learn all this bloggy stuff. It took me quite a while to figure it all out so hopefully I can make it a little easier for you guys by putting together all of my tips and tricks in one place for you! I'm still learning new things everyday but you guys can learn it right along with me. Today is...


4.18.2013

Maxi and Me

It's friday! Hooray! And what do I have for Friday?  I have a new blog design! What What! I liked the old one well enough but it was kind of just first come first serve. It was the first one I came across; some pre-made "insert your name here" kind of thing and there wasn't much thought into it. This new design is 110% all mine. Made this little beauty from scratch, all the way down to the comment signature and sidebar labels and my itty bitty navicon up there on your internet tab...maybe I should've made sure everyone didn't think it was hideous before I revealed that... haha Well, there's still some little kinks to work out but they can be taken care of and I'm proud of her regardless!

This took me a lot of time because I learned everything about blog design from my good friend Google search. Maybe you've heard of him? He's pretty helpful. But even with his help, it took a lot of trial and error. There are a lot of great tutorials out there but they're all over the place and some (womp womp) don't work at all. I've been thinking of compiling all of my own tips and tricks and posting my own tutorials. What do you think? Any takers? That wasn't my intention or direction I had originally planned for this here blog but I believe I've gotten pretty good at understanding the inner workings of HTML. Let me know if this is something you'd like to see.

SO for today's real purpose...my super sweet maxi dress! Yes, another dress! And this time it's a long dress. We gettin' fancy up in hurr! Maxi's are meant to be super casual but I feel a little more than just "casual" in it. This isn't something I would typically buy but I saw Danielle over at Goodwillista (isn't that blog name awesome sauce? Wish I would have thought of it!) looking so dang cute in her maxi skirt, I knew what my next purchase was going to be. Danielle is the lovely person who is solely responsible for me ever stepping foot inside a Goodwill or thrift store. It absolutely changed my life. For reals. So I owe Danielle a big THANK YOU!!

Miss Danielle looking supa dupa fly






 

 Maxi Dress: Walmart $14.00 {similar}
Denim Jacket: Aero/Thrifted $8.00 {similar}
Sandals: Tommy Hilfiger/Thrifted $4.00 {similar}
Necklace: Walmart $5.00 {another cute option}
Grand Total:  $31.00


So here's to my first maxi! Cheers!



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4.16.2013

Casual Wasual Wednesday

So I turned casual Friday into Wednesday this week. I'm telling myself that it's completely normal. I realize this is dangerously close to the momiform; no makeup. ponytail, t-shirt and jeans. But we all do it every once and again, right? Right?? Please lie to me and tell it's completely ok!
My logical reasoning was dressing up to go to the park was silly and unnecessary even though I do it all the time

Who's that girl...

wearing a dress?? That can't be Lindsey! Yes, it is! Me! I am wearing a dress! I don't care how casual it is; don't ruin the moment for me! haha I'm not going to a wedding, funeral or job interview so this is a special occasion regardless! I always feel so fun and flirty in a dress. Doesn't matter what kind. As soon as I slip into a dress, I just really feel "woman", ya know? Not mom; a fun, proud, feminine woman. I own maybe 3 dresses tops and they were only purchased for one of those specific occasions but part of my evolution is not being scared of a dress. I spotted this Old Navy dress at Plato's Closet and I just had to try it out. It made me feel amazing so I'm going back for more!


 

4.14.2013

Easy, Breezy

The weekend is gone...womp womp :( This was one of those weekends that don't feel like a weekend at all. You know what I'm talking about? When you're busier on Saturday and Sunday than you are on weekdays. I like my weekends to be chill, fly by the seat of my pants, do whatever I want (which is usually a whole lotta nothin'). This one was jam packed with little league, parades, parks and crazy over-tired kids. And it was a whole lot cooler; sat shivering through the parade in 45º weather. But it did warm up and we had a great time at the park....so boring, I know. Sorry I don't have any great fall-down-drunk stories to entertain you this Monday morning but such is the life of a mom, right?  ;)



4.13.2013

Well Played, Mother Nature

So, I had to go and get all cocky yesterday by wearing a tank top and shorts and what happens? It rains all night and now it's in the 50s. She sure showed me! Guess I won't be jumping the gun anymore. I solemnly vow not to wear any shorts, tank tops and/or sandals until May...or next week at the very earliest. ;)

Once again I drew inspiration from a gorgeously put together outfit from another blogger. And once again it is none other than Natalia from Ma Nouvelle Mode. I have yet to read a post from Natalia and not be inspired. Girl's got it goin' on over there!

This particular post was about remixing your wardrobe. I struggle with this immensely. I have always bought items with a specific way to wear it in mind and it never varies. This results in "closet-full-of-clothes-and-nothing-to-wear" syndrome. You know what I'm talking about. We've all been there at one time or another. I probably have hundreds (ok, maybe not hundreds but it's a lot more than I utilize) of outfit variations hanging in my closet and the key to unlocking them is simply remixing what I already own.

Natalia picked 7 items and made 7 different outfits for the week. This is not something I ever thought I could do but she makes it look effortless! I haven't pulled together 7 entire outfits but I did take a step into wearing pieces in a way I have never worn them before.




My outfit isn't a total recreation but there were key pieces and how she wore them that got my wheels turning...


4.12.2013

2 in 1??

Yep. I posted twice in 1 day. What, what! If you didn't see it, I was nominated for a Liebster! Very exciting indeed! SO since I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote on that post, I'll just leave you with some pictures and we'll call it even ;)


OH! And you might have noticed that new little tab up there...you can check out my super sweet pinterest boards! :)

Aww You Shouldn't Have!


But no really, I'm glad you did! haha I am so thrilled that someone thought to nominate me! I've just been over here in my little corner of blog land, posting away and then I get a lovely comment that I have been nominated! As a brand spanking new blogger fresh off the streets, this is so exciting! Thank you, Linda for so kindly choosing me! 

So, I'm sure all you seasoned blogger veterans know what a Liebster award is but I didn't have any clue....I was ecstatic for the recognition anyway! haha Basically, it is a wonderful way to meet new bloggers and learn more about them. Linda has given me 11 questions to answer and then I share 11 random facts about myself. Then I choose 11 other new fantastic blogs to nominate! If you read my blog, you know it's going to be long so let's just start now! ;)

My questions from Linda:


{1} Why did you start blogging?
I posted a little about this in my 'About Me' page but basically I just wanted to keep myself motivated. I've only just recently began this journey to finding and evolving my style and it's easy to get discouraged. I felt that if I had a blog to keep up with, it would keep me from backing down or giving up. So far, this has worked! Something I love and didn't expect is all the support and advice from you ladies of the blogging community. I honestly didn't know if a single person would ever lay eyes on my humble, little blog but connecting with so many of you has pushed me even more. I've come so far in this 1 short month and I owe a whole lot of that to you lovely readers and your kind comments! My confidence builds with each comment, follower and page view. Thank you!


{2} What homemade project are you most proud of?
I haven't really tackled a whole lot of big projects, I kind of dabble in many different things. But, I think I am most proud of the dress I made for my daughter. It was my first ever sewing project and it was done all on my own! I've gotten better and made things that have come out a whole lot nicer but this one was the first and it will always be special!



{3} What's the best costume you've ever worn?
I wish I had some awesome answer for this but the coolest costumes were always worn by my kids. I always paint my face with something simple for trick-or-treating just for them but the coolest costume is my daughter's Lalaloopsy costume from this past Halloween. It was a joint home-made project between my grandma and myself and that alone makes it super cool!



{4} What is your favorite book and why?
Hands down Pride and Prejudice!! Not entirely original, many people love P&P but Jane Austen is a beautiful author and it is just a classic. Who doesn't want a Mr. Darcy??


{5} What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles? 
We went to Gatlinburg with Justin's parents this past summer. It is always so much fun to see things through the wonder of your kid's eyes. It makes old experiences brand new.


{6} If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I have actually been asked this question before and I can never decide! Shape shifting would be pretty handy. Like Mystic on X-Men. Or teleportation would be awesome! Goodbye rush hour!! Ha!

{7} Pinterest or Facebook?
Pinterest! No question! Pinterest offers me encouragement, inspiration and great ideas...Facebook offers me personal political agendas, dirty laundry and advertisements. Facebook has gone so far downhill. It's made this question a no brainer.

{8} What is your biggest pet peeve?
Captcha! Seriously, turn that ish off!! haha And see #6! I loathe traffic. There is no one pet peeve when it comes to traffic. I hate people who pull out in front of you; cut you off when there's no one behind you for as far as the eye can see and then they proceed to go under the speed limit. What happened to that hurry you were in? Cause you just couldn't wait to pull out behind me! OR (and this is my favorite) when on the interstate someone in the left lane is going as slow, if not slower, than those in the right lane. Haven't you ever seen those signs that say "Stay right except to pass"?? If you're not passing, you don't need to be there! This was not a good question to ask me! haha!


{9} What is your favorite childhood memory?
I could not even come close to naming a favorite. My mom did so much for us; so many special traditions and memories. Although, I was pretty stoked when I came home from 1st grade and mom surprised me with New Kids on the Block tickets. Talk about excited!!

{10} How would you describe yourself in one word? 
Another hard one! How about one phrase... a work in progress! 

{11} What are you thankful for today?
I'm going to have to get a little personal. I am thankful for time with my family...all of them. My grandma has a terminal cancer. She has been battling pancreatic cancer for 3 years. If you know anything about pancreatic cancer, you know 3 years is an amazing length of time. She has come to terms with this being the end of her lifetime and stopped chemo. My husband, kids and I moved in to take care of her and I see how hard every single day is for her. We live each day knowing it's one day closer to her last. Life is short and I am thankful for every single second I have here on this earth with the people I love.

Now that I've gone and depressed you, time for some random facts!


11 Facts
{1} I have 4 brothers and 1 sister; I am the oldest.

{2) Of those brothers, one is the same age as my son...my mom and I were pregnant at the same time. Think 'Father of the Bride Part II'

{3} I have an unusual taste in men....no, nothing creepy! A few of my celebrity crushes are David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Tom Selleck if that gives you an idea. My friends/family always give me crap for this! haha
Yes, that is the goblin king from Labyrinth!

{4} I love Doctor Who! I mean, love, love, love Doctor Who! I am a full on Whovian. So many people do not know what this show is because it's British. But, I have yet to meet a person who tried an episode and wasn't instantly hooked. Look it up people! (PS I miss the Ponds! *sniff*)

{5} I am just as big of a Harry Potter nerd. None of that Twilight ish; I am a Potter head til I die yo!

{6} I HATE feet! Like, completely loathe them. I have a definite foot phobia!

{7} I am completely useless in the morning until I have my coffee. I'm like that McDonald's commercial "Don't talk to me until I've had my coffee."

{8} No one I know in real life knows I have this blog! (with the exceptions of my mom, sister, and best friend...and my husband of course) When I started this, I didn't know if I was going to make a huge fool outta myself...still not sure. I'm waiting to make sure I don't face plant before I tell anyone about it ;)

{9} My TV almost never leaves HGTV (except on Doctor Who nights of course!) I love Property Brothers, Love it or List it, Income Property because he's a babe and House Hunters.


{10} I could live off of cereal. I go through 2 boxes of Life cereal a week. No lie.

{11} I am starting to get anxious about getting older....I'm about to turn 30!


Random enough for ya? Ok, so here are the lovely ladies I chose to nominate. I thought this would be difficult; finding 11 other ladies who are new AND enjoyable. But once I went exploring I found SO many awesome blogs out there! I now read each and every one of the chosen blogs regularly; you should definitely stop by and visit them ALL!!







Brianne @ Being Bracco


Jill @ Olive Heart




and a 12th just because I love her blog too much not to include her:

Jules @ My Mom's a Whack Job (sweet name right?)


Some of these girls have been around longer than I have but they fit the "less than 200 followers" criteria...plus, I think they deserve the recognition because I seriously love all of them!

Here's the rules girls!


The Rules:

{1} Each blogger should answer the questions the tagger has set for you.

{2} Choose 11 new bloggers to pass the award on to and link them in your post.

{3} Create 11 new questions for the chosen bloggers.

{4} Go back to their page and tell them about the award.

{5} Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

{6} No tag-backs!!


And here's your questions

{1} Why did you start blogging?

{2} What has been your favorite part about it?

{3} Have you learned anything from your experience? If so, what?

{4} What blog(s) do you go to for inspiration and why?

{5} In lalaland where you could do whatever you wanted, what would be a perfect day for you?

{6} If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

{7} How would you describe yourself and the kind of blogger you are?

{8} What is your favorite thing to wear?

{9} What would you call your style?

{10} Coffee or tea?

{11} What are you most proud of?



There ya go, ladies! Please link back to this post and come back here to comment so we can read all of your awesome answers!



4.09.2013

Fedorable

Happy Wednesday lovelies! The weather here is amazing! After the beginning of "spring" being in the 40s, I am ecstatic to see it finally arrive! I was sweating and I was loving it! No, seriously. I would not go back to that cold, dreary weather for anything! We got to spend the whole day outside scootering, blowing bubbles and playing baseball. And I got to wear my new hat! Yeah!


My inspiration came from a couple of looks that I mashed together

Summertime!


My take:


4.07.2013

Hi, my name is Lindsey. And I'm addicted to chambray.

No, seriously. I think I have 12 total OOTD posts thus far and like 5 of them have chambray in them somehow. Maybe it's the main piece, or maybe just worn under something but it's there. Maybe I shot myself in the foot by buying 3 of them because there's always one available. And let's be real, they pretty much go with anything! I think I may need an intervention!



4.04.2013

What are those pants?!

It's Friday!! It's always a good day on Friday! It's payday, we get a nice little 2 day break; what's not to love? My OOTD this lovely Friday is so different for me. My 5 year old (I will never get used to saying 5) said she didn't like my pants but she so sweetly followed it up with "But it doesn't matter if I like your clothes, mommy. All that matters is you!" and then she proceeded to sing her own version of Bruno Mars "Just the Way You Are"....Swear. 


But despite the unfavorable opinions, I loved it! I woke up this morning and just wasn't feeling it. Just didn't want to get out of bed or take my test or spend hours at the little league park. But as soon as I put this outfit on, I was ready to take on the day! Do you ever have one of those days? Where you just feel awesome because you feel like you look awesome? This was such a win for me, it pulled me right out of my morning funk. It's nothing that hasn't been done before but it's brand new for me!

Let me explain how it came about. I have a very lucky circumstance. My sister (check out her blog here...you'll see that were very different but maybe that's why we get along so well!) who is much younger than me, lives at home, has no bills or kids, and has a passion for fashion. Since she has no financial responsibilities at the tender age of 21, she can spend the money on whatever she likes. How does this affect me? Well, every season she replenishes her entire wardrobe and has to clean out "last season's" clothes. And where do those clothes go? That's right, to me! So these pants were given to me by her.


My totes adorable sister and I at the J-J-Journey concert. Get down with the old folks ;)
I have been circling around them for a while wondering how the heck I was going to wear them or what I would pair them with and today I figured it out. I love that it's a little bit funky but still put together. Yes, the color palette is very neutral but with pants like this, I'm ok with that. I would have never bought these pants for myself. Ever. But I'm so glad I got the opportunity to try something outside of my hand-drawn box.

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